Second choice to Anne, no biggie for Maja

Maja Salvador made no fuss even if she was just second choice as lead actress of “Bridges of Love” which was first offered to Anne Curtis. She is still thankful that the role landed on her lap. “I find my role as the star dancer Mia Sandoval good and very challenging. I haven’t done this kind of role in the past,” said Maja at the recent presscon for this primetime ABS-CBN teleserye.

In the trailer of “Bridges of Love,” she was shown crying, and the reason is the mystery that needs to be unraveled in this new series directed by Will Fredo and Richard Somes.

 “I am happy because in this series, I am reunited with Jericho Rosales, whom I worked with in ‘The Legal Wife,’ that is why I am comfortable doing scenes with him. Plus I also get the opportunity to work with Paulo Avelino, Carmina Villaroel and Tito Edu Manzano who are all very professional and fun to be with,” said Maja.

“I’m really thankful to Star Creatives for their trust in giving me this project. My role as a mistress in ‘The Legal Wife’ was also very challenging but I must say that my new role in ‘Bridges of Love’ is even more challenging since it involves so many emotions.”

Aside from her new ABS-CBN series, Maja is also very pleased that Sisters Sanitary Napkins and Pantyliners have taken her anew as endorser. She was the original endorser of the brand when the company first got a celebrity endorser but after sometime, the company decided to get a new brand ambassador. Megasoft Company, which owns the brand, has renewed her as brand ambassador.

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Artista Academy grand winner Vin Abrenica is doing his first stage play via “Juego de Peligro,” a local adaptation of “Dangerous Liaison” where he gets to test his acting mettle opposite stage veteran and award-winning actress Shamaine Buencamino. The last performance of “Juego de Peligro” is on Sunday, March 8, where Vin is doing the 3 p.m. show. In the play, he plays an indio who becomes the boy toy of Shamaine.

“I learned na iba ang respeto ng mga theater actors sa stage. One time late ako, bigla akong pumasok or tumuntong sa stage. Hindi ko pala dapat ginawa iyon. For theater actors, the stage is a sacred place. One should not just enter it. That was during the rehearsal so I guess if I did something wrong during a performance all the more it is going to be a big no,” said Vin in a recent interview. “Come performance night, there is no room for mistakes because there is no take two. I really have to be on my toes.”

Vin said he liked the script of “Juego de Peligro” when he read it and told his manager Noel Ferrer he wants to give it a try. “I really enjoyed my stint in theater. My co-actors are very supportive and I learned a lot from them. They gave me pointers on how I should act on stage since this is a new medium for me. They were really all very helpful. I really have to be on my toes so I won’t get lost during a performance. Nakakahiya kung magkamali ako.”

He is doing an episode of WattPad titled “No Boyfriend Since Birth” where he is paired with Yassi Pressman. He welcomes the opportunity working with other actresses, especially big stars like Nora Aunor whom he worked with in a TV5 teleserye. “I learn a lot working with other actors,” said Vin who has a five-year contract with the Kapatid network.

He understands the situation in which big stars like Nora and Sharon Cuneta had to cut ties with the network. He has a five-year contract with TV5 (he is now on his third year with the network), but in June, he and his manager will assess how his career has progressed so far. “If the network says I stay with them, I will stay with them. When it comes to my decisions with regards my career, I have given full trust and confidence to my manager Kuya Noel (Ferrer). There is no problem with me if he decides that I transfer to another network in case TV5 decides to let go of me. But happy naman ako sa TV5 and how they are treating me.”

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Jack Salud is a classically-trained singer, but feels equally at home on the pop stage. This gifted artist can easily cross genres, as he proved recently during his well-received performance with Kuh Ledesma and her ex-Music & Magic bandmates during their Valentine’s Day show “The Music of the Heart, The Magic of Love.”

It was thus a different, but fun kind of challenge when he tried singing with certified pop stars like Kuh and her Music & Magic bandmates at their Valentine concert. That evening, it was all about introducing each other to different genres and styles of music for a unique concert experience.

Jack surprised the audience with his duets with Kuh (who, incidentally, is also a visual artist and has taken up painting). They performed duets of “The Prayer,” “Ikaw” (which showcase both artists’ versatility) and the pop ballad “Endless Love.”

Jack also performed a memorable and well-applauded rendition of the operatic classic “Nessun Dorma,” an aria from the final act of “Turandot” by Giacomo Puccini.

He had so much fun doing the show that on March 7, Jack will rejoin Kuh and her bandmates for the third repeat of “The Music of the Heart, The Magic of Love.” This will again be at the Solaire Ballroom, and will feature the same cast, namely Kuh and her Music and Magic bandmates.

For ticket inquires and other details, call 531-0688 or the mobile number 0917-813-9065 or 62.